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Sporadic incidents of violence in the capital and elsewhere in the country marked the third day of the nationwide 84-hour non-stop hartal, enforced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 18-party alliance, on Tuesday. Asadul Islam (28), a Juba Dal activist and son of Azizul Islam of Adarsha Gram in Pabna, was killed when he fell ... Read more

100 hurt as RMG workers clash with police Garment owners at Ashulia have decided to keep their factories shut on Wednesday after a series of clashes between workers and police that left over 100 injured on Tuesday. Abdus Salam Murshdi, former president of Bangladedsh Garment Manfacturers and Exporters Associations ((BGMEA), told The Independent that

Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam was on Tuesday handed a six-count indictment for his alleged complicity in 1971 crimes against humanity. Standing in the dock throughout the hearing in the International Crimes Tribunal-1, Azhar, 60, pleaded not guilty of the multiple charges of genocide,

Branding Khaleda Zia as a ‘master killer’, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday aired an apprehension that the opposition leader may again try to kill her as she wants a Hasina-free Bangladesh. “She (Khaleda) wants a Hasina-free Bangladesh, she failed to kill me earlier… she might try to kill me again,” Hasina said addressing a ... Read more

The government on Tuesday celebrated its power generation capacity of over 10,000 MW in a grand style and cheerful jubilation as Bangladesh had to suffer from a nagging power crisis barely five years back before the AL-led Grand Alliance government assumed office in January, 2009. Inaugurating the celebration of ‘Alok Utsab’ (illumination festival) and the

The ongoing political unrest and the Opposition’s hartal programmes have severely affected trade and commerce, including maritime trade, exports and imports. As a result, the country has lost crores of takas in revenue while businessmen, too, are losing crores everyday. Sources said the prevailing political situation has created tension among local businessmen.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Tuesday slammed the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for “unleashing brutal attacks on the common people” in the name of observing hartals during the last couple of weeks. “Whatever I saw today was truly horrifying. I cannot believe that a political party could unleash ... Read more

The BNP’s joint secretary general, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, has made it clear that the resignation of cabinet ministers will not resolve the current crisis. The Opposition will withdraw the hartal only if the Prime Minister resigns. “We will call off the nationwide hartal if Sheikh Hasina resigns to pave the way for dialogue and hold ... Read more

At least 30 people injured in a head-on collision between two express trains at Phulbari railway station in Dinajpur early Tuesday. Witnesses said that the accident took place at around 3:40am when Dinajpur-bound Ekota Express train coming from Dhaka collided head-on with Khulna-bound Simanta Express train which was standing at Phulbari railway

Delay attributed to change in design The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) is going to sign fresh agreement with its private foreign partner for the Dhaka Elevated Expressway (DEE) project next week. The new accord is needed as the entire design of the public-private partnership (PPP) project was changed from the one under the first agreement ... Read more

Several hundred readymade garment (RMG) makers expressed their inability to implement Tk 5300 as the minimum wage as recommended by the government-formed Wage Board (WB) for workers and pressed the leaders for initiating negotiation with the government for reviewing the same. They also sought policy support from the government to leave

The customs officials seized 320 gold bars weighing around 37 kilograms from a flight of Qatar Airways at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital Tuesday morning. The estimated worth of the seized gold bars will be Tk 15 crore, said Bikash Dev Roy, assistant commissioner of customs. Cabin crew found the gold bars

Bangladeshi housemaids are facing multiple challenges in Hong Kong due to obvious cultural, communication and language gaps, a government fact finding team identified during a recent visit. The perspectives on food are different, officials said on Sunday. The programmes to prepare the expats

Meeting someone new isn’t always the easiest of tasks, so spare a thought for China’s young women who face intense parental pressure to find the right man. As a result, women terrified of returning home without a handsome other half resort to hiring ‘boyfriends’ for the duration of their visit.

Cabinet to be reconstituted, not dissolved, says cabinet secretary All the 52 ministers of the Awami League-led grand alliance government on Monday handed over their resignation letters to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to pave the way for holding polls under “an all-party” administration. After receiving the resignation letters at a cabinet meeting, Hasina told the ... Read more

Work at the secretariat, the hub of the administration, has slowed down as bureaucrats are unable to take decisions, fearing consequences if there is a change of guard. Files which could be cleared at deputy or joint secretary levels are being forwarded to secretaries due to lack of confidence among the junior officers

BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the ruling Awami League leaders should now think of protecting themselves from public wrath as all cabinet ministers resigned on Monday. “As you (ministers) have submitted your resignation letters to the PM, now think about how you will escape the public wrath,” he said while talking to

Law minister Shafique Ahmed and Bar Council vice-president Khandkar Mahbub Hossain differed in their opinions about how and when the resignations of ministers would become effective. Khandkar Mahbub Hossain told The Independent that the Constitution makes it clear that the post of a minister becomes vacant after he/she submits

Stray incidents of violence marked the second day of the nationwide 84-hour hartal, enforced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 18-party alliance, on Monday. As many as 30 vehicles were vandalised and more than 50 people were injured while police detained more than 50 hartal supporters, mainly Jamaat-Shibir activists, from different parts in

It contradicts constitutional provision: ACC chief  The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has expressed its frustration over the passage of an amended law saying that the act has contradicted the constitution and further weakened the anti-graft body in dealing with corruption independently. “Taking government approval before submitting charge sheet against government officials contradicts the Article